Asparagus picker



Se t. 16, 1952 A. c. SUTTON 2,610,397

ASPARAGUS PICKER Filed Jan. 29, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Sept. 16, 1952 A.c. SUTTON 2,610,397

ASPARAGUS PICKER Filed Jan. 29, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Sept. 16,1952 4 STATES PATEN orFi-cs I;

' I Am liatiba anuary 29 20 Claims.

" This invention rel'ates to walking hand tools comparable to; weed-rs;and actiially usable as sli ichi-but more p'articularly designed andadapted forjuse in the harvestingof asparagus and'the {The principalobiec t of-my invention is to provide alight hand tool that be ca'rriedby a manor woman; orby a'boy or girl, without fatigue, to cut andpickasparagus stalks without havin'gto bend OverQand without any necessityofstepping 'on'or straddling the rows of aspara gas; the present toolenabling doing; this {work with much greater efiiciency than has beenpos-- sible with any other-knownmeth'ods.' The tool of my invention;generally speaking; cm'p. 'i e's a stalk cuttingblade which cuts thestalk at or slightly jbelow ground; level; and"- a fork which spears thestalk near-the-lower end in thef cutting operation and has manuallyoperable' means rswm m it u war -a ou o p x mately midwayup theelongated liandleso' that the freshly cut stalk may be picked off thefork 1947; steam. 724,978 (01 730-124) 1 Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 1: showinganother asparagus picker of modified or alternativeconstruction, certain parts :thereofi being' also shown in dotted linesin moved positi'cins to bet-'- ter illustrate the operation, and Fig.'Tis a front view'of the 'tool'. a 1 1.

i imilar reference numerals are applied to cor responding partsthroughout the views. s Referring firstto Figs-#1 to 5, the-preferredform of tool comprises' an elongated handle shaft 8: having: asubstantially horizontal" 'rearwar'dly projecting handle '9'on'tlieupper ehd'; wliicliis approximately at waist heightioran'loperator-o'i average height, so that thetool may 'be o en atedwithout any necessity for the'-' operator stooping' o've'rl The weightof the entire toiol', iurther'more is only approximately two" pounds';so that there will be noelikelihood of fatigue, and. the tool 'can beeasily operated-by boys and girls, as well as'by men "and-women. Aknife-blade lfi is mountedon a holder l'l carried on the lower end' 'ofthe "handle shaft is and ha's' a' v shapeil without any necessity torthe operator 'sto'oping over to do so, the stalks being'then placed' ina basket or other container; Atooloifthis ki'nd is,' therefore, easilyoperable with-one handin the main operation, the other hand being usedonly to're'rnovethe stal ks fromthe fork.

5 Another object of invention is 'to provide a tool'of thekindimentioned in which -th'e rod carryingthe fork is supported on aballcrank lever pivoted on a bracket mounted' intermediate' the ends ofthe handle shaft, the bell crank lever havi'ng' attachedto it a linkoperable-by a lever pivoted on'the handle for o'peratiohby thesame handthat grips .the handle. In a'mo'difiedform, the rod carrying the fork isattached to a" gear rotatably mounted on a bracket carried intermediatethe ends of the" handle shaft; this 'gear meshing with a rack that isreciprocable by means of a lever pivoted on the handle. In both forms,spring means is preferably provided. Ito slow up the last-portionof therise-of the "fork and also help to startits return movementw Y Theinvention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which. 1 -1 I?Fig. 1*is aside view of an asparagus picker rri'ade'in accordance withmy invention, certain parts being shown in dotted lines inmovedpositions to better illustrate the'operation; Fig. 2 is a frontview of the tool; h Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the knifeandforkas they appeartin Fig 1i Fig 4;is atface viewofFiggli r. 'Figl 5is a section onithe line-5 5 of Fig'zl onzajlarger scalej notch I2'iri'the lower end ther'eoflth edges or which are'ishar'p'ened t'dblltthrough the standing stalks l3" of asparagus i'whe'n the knife" is.thmist downwardly at approximately a 45? angle, as illus.'-'- trated inFig! i 1. In the samethrust; a forkll l i's arranged to spear the butt'end- "of' the stalkz about i a half inch above the 7 knife, "the forkbeing' noi' many disps ed 1'11' spaced substantially parallel relationto the knife, as clearly appearsini'FigsZ l"and '3 I-he fork" I 4- inadeup of al'nu'mber of sharplypointedl'ineedles I 5 mounted in spacedparallel lioles 16in a block 11 that'i's' detachably secured to a holderIBFCarriied' on the lower end of a rod- 1 9L thatl extend's normally'upwardlyrin frontl of and substantially' parallel to the handle shaft:8. A bracket ZU' is" suitably vfixedlto the handle shaft 8approximately at the midpoint and has a bell crank. lever 2| pivotedthereon: at 22-; "one arm of whichiis rigidly attached-to the upper endof the rod :l9: and thexotherfarm of which'has' a link 23 'piotally'icorinectedtthereto at 24 to provide anoperatingconnectionbetween the fork l4 and a lever'that is 'pivota'llylmount-.- ed on the handle 9 at 26 and has a hand grip-:or triggerportion 21 arranged to be operated bythe same'handigripping'thehandle9.: ,1 1: .1

The operation of the tool is 'clearly illustrated in Fig. 1." Theoperator'holding-only the handle; Q'first' thrusts the knife l0downwardly at approx-'1 imately a 45 angle to cut the asparagus'stalk I3 at :or slightly below. ground 1 level; i and; bin the "sameoperation-,- the fork' M spears the butt end of the: stalk :.'Iheoperator then takes :hold of the rhand trigger portion? 2&1 ot:the.;"1e.ver;.': v:25

3 along with the handle 9, and by merely closing his hand to bring thetrigger 21 into close proximity with the handle 9, a downward thrust isapplied to the link 23 to swing the bell crank lever 2| in a clockwisedirection so as to swing the fork [4 with the rod [9 upwardly throughapproximately 120, as shown in dotted lines. The freshly cut stalk ofasparagus is thus brought to a suflicient elevation, about hand height,pointing toward the operator, as clearly appears in dotted lines in Fig.1, so that it may be removed from the fork with the left hand,assuming'the operator uses the right hand in grasping the handle 9 andtrigger I. A left handed operator will usually use his right hand toremove stalks. provided a hand tool of a very practical and eflicienttype for the purpose contemplated. An operator working with this toolcan cut more asparagus with much less fatigue and in less time than withother known methods. Operators working with ordinary knives sooncomplain of backache because of the amount of stooping required, andaside from that it is well known that there is a large percentage ofloss with that method of harvesting asparagus because of the extent towhich the plants are trampled under foot. With the present tool, thereis no necessity It will, therefore, appear that I have 7 needle is heldby a separate screw and the needles may be replaced individually. Otherscrews 3'! threaded in the bifurcated portion 38 of the holder I8, intowhich the block I! is fitted, serve to fasten the block I! in place inthe holder.

The tool shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is closely similar to that shown inFigs. 1 to 5, the principal difference being in the provision of a gear39 rigidly attached to the upper end'of the rod'l9' carrying the fork14', this gear being rotatably mounted, as indicated at 22', in aU-shaped bracket 20' for the operator walking on the row because the ingthe fork l4 before the knife I is thrust into the ground. For dandeliondigging, the fork can be left down'to spear the plant at the roots, andthe severed plant can then be lifted to hand height'similarly as in theharvesting of'asparagus.

--A.coiled compression spring 28 is indicated in carried on the handleshaft 8' intermediate the ends thereof, approximately at the midpoint.The gear 39 meshes with a rack 40 that is reciprocable relative to thebracket by means'of a rod 23 that is pivotally connected to a lever 25,which in turn is pivoted, as indicated at 26', to the handle 9 andoperable by means of a hand trigger 21', similarly as in the operationof the other tool. In this tooLtherefore, it willbe seen that the blade10 and fork l4 cooperate in substantially the same way as in the othertool in the cutting of a stalk [3 of asparagus, the stalk being spearedby the fork l4 at the butt end and being lifted to approximately handheight by the fork when the operator closes his, grip on the handtrigger 21'. The spring indicated at 28' is a tension spring secured tothe rod 23' at its lower end and surrounding a portion of the rodintermediate the ends thereof and attached at its upper end to aprojection 4| on the handle shaft 6'. An adjusting screw 42 is indicatedmounted on a bracket 43 suitably secured to the handle shaft 8 below thebracket 20 and arranged to Fig. 1 suitably secured in a recess 29provided the greater portion of the return movement being 7 by gravity.

The knife blade It] has its butt portion cut away, as indicated at 30-in Fig. 4, leaving two side portions 3! to be clamped in the forkedportion32 of the holder II when a correspondingly forked-back plate 33that is suitably secured to the holder H by screws 34 is fastened inplace. The opening 30 is important from the standpoint that it permitsdirt and mud to work through the butt portion of the blade l0 instead ofaccumulating on the butt portion of the holder 18 ofthe fork l4 andnecessitating scraping off periodically. Obviously, it is important thatthe holder l8 for the fork 14 be permitted to seat on the holder 'll ofthe blade [0, otherwise the needles of the fork 14 would not be in theproper closely spaced relationship to the blade I!) to "spear theasparagus stalks properly on the butt ends. Incidentally, these buttends are tough and are usually trimmed off later anyway as waste, sothat the holes made by the needles l5 are not objectionable.

The block IT, in which the holes' l6 are provided for the needles l5 ofthe fork l4, has screws 35 threaded in holes 36 provided therein inright angle relationship to the holes It, so that each be adjusted toserve as a limiting stop for the rack 40. A look nut is provided forlocking the screw 42 in an adjusted position relative to the bracket 43.'The wings indicated at 45 projecting from the holder ll' of the blade10' serve to guide the holder l8 of the fork M at the lower'end of itstravel to guidethe fork I4 back to a mid positionwith respect to thenotched lower end l2 of. the blade l0.

The operation of the-tool of Figs. 6 and 7 is substantially the same asthe other tool previously described.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. 'A device of the class describedcomprislng an elongated handle shaft,a knife fixedly mounted on the lower end of said shaft, a fork disposedin front of and substantially parallel to the knifeand adapted to speara standing stalk concurrently with the cutting through thereof by theknife, a support for said fork movable upwardly relative to'said shaftto elevate the fork with the object speared thereon to the vicinity ofthe upper end portion of the shaft, and handioperable'means on the upperend of the shaft operatively connected with said support to elevate thesame;

2. A device of the class described comprising an elongated handle shaft,a knife fixedly mounted on the lower end of said shaft, a fork disposedin front of and substantially in parallel relation to the knife andadapted to spear a standing stalk, an elongated rod disposed in front ofand substantially parallel to said handle shaft carrying said. forkonits lower 'end and pivotally mounted at'its upper end relative to theapproximate middle portion' of said'shaft,

I shafEl-an 'a"' lei re r pivoted its" ends" and pivotally connected atone end; to p the upper,end ofthe secondrodand having-g its other endpor"p'n" movable toward and away r a 4 5 efi ziiie n one il51w:ii iir mwfieiubfl en of saidsh'aftand operatively connected with the pivotedendportion-of said rod forswing-fl ing' said -ifo'd row-nary andupwardly 'relative to" the shaftte elevate {thefork to agdeliveryposition near theupper endof the shaft. 7

3. A device of the class described comprismg an elongated handle shaft,a knife mountedjon thelowerg d of said-shaft, a fork dispose-din frontorrfan substantially in parallel remnantd'the knife, arr elongatedroddnfront of saidj rren- 11 1 laws? as;

handlesha'fticarryingsaid v and pivotally mounted t "its upper end tive,to' anj intermediate portion of said shaft b n he' iv diipb i d' astand pivotally connectedgto said bell i fix e mg a dl ,7 V prend of theshaft, and means 'for recipr idsecond rod. d r d of t glass d cribe m rin n ateq h n l an gaknnem ii ted Qe a F t lgwstleed' o e i 11 as name.-

5. A device as set forth in claim' 4,"iriclii spring means loaded in thepivotal movementof I said'leverin one direction. A device of v the class,de

t lower endofs'aidsliaft, a'fork dispo fibs'tafitialli, in parallelrel'a't 1,. relation to and a rack meshing with said gear and m'anuallyreciprocable relative to said shaft to elevate the fork toward the upperend of said shaft.

'7.,A device of the class described comprising an elongated handleshaft, a knife mounted on the lower end of said shaft, a fork disposed;in front of and substantially in parallel relation to theknife, anelongated rod in front of said handle shaft carrying said fork on itslower end and pivotally mounted at its upper end relative to anintermediate portion of said shaft, a',; ;g ear in rigid relation to thepivoted upper end of said rod, a rack meshing with said gear andreciprocable relative to said shaft, a second rodjco'n notched kniferigidly mounted on the lower end of said shaft inclined forwardly atapproximately thereon intermediate'1 ibe omb 5 1:? I U t? t. 6 to avertical, afield handle .prqi9t1n'g r ear-" weirdly from the upper'endof said shaft', a bracket mounted on said shaft adjacent "the mid pointof its length, a fork disposed in spaced substantially parallel relationto said-knife in front of; the same with its pointed'end over theVi-notch in-the knife, a rod rigidly attached-to said fork at oneend'and-pivoted at itsothe'r end "to said bracket, and means manuallyoperable through asmall diStance' 'by the hand on: said handle andoperatively connected to said rod with a motion multiplying connectionto swing the fork forwardly and'upwardly to the vicinity of the upp jtndof saidshaft.

? *"10. itfdevice of the classdescribed comprising an 'd-pright-longatedhandle shaft reachingfro'm' the groundt'o-approximatelyhand height, a V=notched"knifeiigidlymounted on the lower end of-said'shaft inclinedforwardly at approximately 45 to a vertical, a rigid-handle projectingrear wa' dly" from --the upperjiend- Jof' 'said shaft) 21 iq ee et mcutedpn said shaft-adjacent trie rmupoint of'its length, a fork'disposedin spaced sub: staritially parallel relationto said knife in front ofthe same with its pointed end over t'he v-inotch" in the'; k fe,''"arodf'rigidly attached to said dork atpn end and pivotedjat its otherendto' said bracket,' 'a belljfc'rank pn th'e pivoted upperqend of saidrod, a" second rod pivotally connected to' said bell crank'aneextending; upwardly toward the upper end or the shaft; and mean's fp'r"recip' rocatingisaid secondrod' f; r I 11. Adevice o'f the class'desfcribed c mprisin ari 'fiprightelorigatedlhandle 'shafe reapmng'fronfthe ground 't a approximateiy hand *he'i'g' ga v: 1ictc' hed-fkrilferigidlf inoiiiited on the lower end or "said shaft'iriclined forwardlyatappiogifiiate i=5? t6 a vertical, 'a rigid li'aridl'e roj ecting'i'e'aiffroin 'thfiipperlfnd" of sa esman, y M mountedonsaid'shaftadjacent themidpain of its length, a forkdisposed in spacedsubstantiallypar 11a; 'relation' td'said' mine in front ofit'he' sa ewith it omte' naover the 'V netch inf the'j' 'knife, a rod rigidlyattachedto said toward the upper end of the shaft, and a hand of saidshaft inclined forwardly at approximately 45" to a vertical, a rigidhandle projecting rearwardly from the upper end of said shaft, a bracketmounted on said shaft adjacent the midpoint of its length, a forkdisposed in spaced substantially parallel relation to said knife infront of the same with its pointed end over the V- notch in the knife, arod rigidly attached to said fork at one end and pivoted at its otherend to said bracket, a gearv in rigid relation to the pivoted upper endof said rod, and a rack meshing with said gear and manually reciprocablerelative to said shaft tov elevate the fork toward the upper end of saidshaft.

14. A device of the class described comprising an upright elongatedhandle shaft reaching from the ground to approximately hand height, a V-notchedknife rigidly mounted Orig-the lower :end

of said shaftinclined forwardly at approximatelyof thesamewith itspointed end over the V notch in the knife, a rod rigidly attached tosaid fork at one endand pivoted at its other end to said'bracket, a gearin rigid relation tethepivoted upper end-of said rod, a rack meshing,with said gear and reciprocable relative to said shaft, a second rodconnected tosaidrack and extending toward the upper end of saidlshaft,and a-hand trigger pivoted onsaid handle and connected to the upper endof said second rod,

15. A device as set forth in claimlfi, including spring means loaded inthe pivotal movement of saidtrigger-inone direction.

16; A' walking pickup hand tool of the-class described comprising apickup member carried on one end of an elongated rod, a handle shaft,reaching from the operators hand to the ground relative to the middleportion of which the other endof said rod is pivoted, and means-manuallyoperable from the upper end of said shaft and operatively connected withsaid rod for swinging the latterupwardly relative to the shaft from alowered position to "a delivery position in which the free end of therod'is disposed within the operator's reach from the upper end of theshaft. 17. A walking pickup hand tool of the class described comprisinga pickup member carried on one end of an elongated rod, a handle shaftreaching-from the operators hand to theground relative to the middleportion of which theother end of said rod is pivoted, a bell crank onthe pivoted end of said rod, a second rod pivotally connected to saidbell crank; and extending upwardly toward the upper end of the'shaft,and means for reciprocating said second rod.

18. A walking pickup hand tool of the class described comprising apickup member carried on one end of an elongated rod, a handle shaftreaching from the operators hand to the ground relative to the middleportion of which the other end of said rod is pivoted, a bell crank onthe pivoted end-ofsaid rod, a secondrod pivotally connected; to saidbell crank and extending upwardly. toward the upper end .of the shaft, ahandle on the upper end of said shaft, and a. hand trigger pivotedonsaid handle and pivotally connected to the upper end of said secondrod to swing the first rod upwardly from a lowered position.

19. Awalking pickup hand tool of the class described comprising a pickupmember carried on one end of an elongated rod, a handle shaft reachingfromtheoperators hand to the ground relative to the middle portion .ofwhich the other end of said rod, is,pivoted, a .gear in rigid relationto the pivoted upper endof said rod, and a rack meshing with said gearand manually reciprocablevrelative to said shaft toelevate the pickupmember toward the upper end of said shaft.

20. A walking pickup hand tool of the class described comprising apickup member carried on one end of an elongated rod, a handle shaftreaching from-the operators hand to the ground relative to the middleportion of which the other end of said rod is pivoted, a gear in rigidrelation to the pivoted upper end of ,said rod, a rack meshing with saidgear and reciprocable relative to said shaft, a second rod connected tosaid rack and extending toward the upper end of said shaft, a handle onthe upper end of. said shaft, and a hand trigger pivoted on said handleand connectedto the upper end of said second rod.

, l I 'ALTON C. SUTTON.

REFERENCES V'CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTSv Number Name Date 96,134 Morries Oct. 26,1869938,759, Green Nov. 2, 1909 1,453,812 Thomas May 1, 1923 1,751,481Tourrette Mar. 25, 1930 1,759,524 Smith May 20, 1930 2,033,431 Krauter,Mar. 10, 1936 2,244,917 Muller June 10, 1941 2,322,926 Dorland June 29,1943

